Preventable Medication Errors

Preventable medication errors are to blame for at least 1.5 million Americans being injured or killed every year according to a report by the Institutes of Medicine. This number of preventable medication errors may actually be a lot higher due to a lack of uniformity in the methods for reporting these errors. Improvements in the systems for prescribing and administering medication is needed. The right patient must receive the right drug, in the right dose, at the right time through the right route. Many preventable medication errors are due to a failure to note accurately allergies to particular medicines; a failure to notice allergy warnings listed; and a failure to be aware of drugs with a similar chemical structure as the allergen drug. These estimated 400,000 medication errors cost hospitals approximately $3.5 billion annually; and worse, many lives.